By Katie Meade
Special to the News-Times
Sorry I couldn't write to you guys on Thursday.
I was really busy the last few days juggling work, tee-ball and end of the school year stuff.
I spent the last few days taking care of my parents dogs and their very loving cat while they were on a cruise.
Buster let me know that petting him for 30 minutes straight wasn't enough so I have a scratch on my hand from their miniature panther.
I ventured around the woods, checking for any hog activity and I found more than enough.
I found fresh rooting all over the woods and even in the woods right next to their backyard.
I guess I will have to get ready to set the hop trap and also sit near the pond and wait on the herd to pass through for water.
From the signs I found, it appears there are about 25-30 pigs.
Five or six are medium-sized pigs weighing about 75-100 pounds each. There is one that is very large at close to 200 pounds and the rest are young pigs ranging from 15-30 pounds.
Fresh mud rubbed on the trees and bushes along with numerous tracks and the size of their wallows gives me plenty of information.
My conclusion is that we have an infestation that will triple in numbers by the end of the summer if we don't get rid of the sows quickly.
The amount of damage they have done to the trails, vegetation and the new food sources for the deer is massive.
Most of the huckleberry bushes were knocked over and the berries closest to the ground were gone.
I saw some bushes that hadn't been touched so I took a bowl with me and picked a bunch for Cooper.
They were pretty good size this year because of the excess rain we had in February and March.
I took a rifle with me just in case I walked up on some bushes that were occupied.
My .243 is compact, light and is very accurate.
The ammunition is cheap as well.
I can defend myself in close quarters or be able to shoot one from a distance.
The only good hog is a dead hog.
As I picked, I kept checking the bushes and the ground for snakes.
Huckleberries attract birds and squirrels.
Birds and squirrels attract snakes, usually the larger, venomous variety.
I had fun picking but I had to split my vision between the ground, the brush and my surroundings. You never know when a hog might sneak up on you.
I finished up my picking, which yielded me a big salad bowl full of fresh huckleberries.
Cooper was excited to see them when I came home.
I think he ate all of them by the next day.
I guess this weekend will begin our hog eradication and I hope we can take out as many sows as possible, whether we snipe them or trap them.
Questions? Comments? Pictures? Send them to [email protected].